Field of the Disclosure
The present disclosure relates to wireless communication systems, and more particularly to managing resource allocations for random access procedure in a cellular Internet of Things (IoT) system.
Description of Related Art
Wireless communication systems are widely deployed to provide various types of communication content such as voice, video, packet data, messaging, broadcast, and so on. These systems may be multiple-access systems capable of supporting communication with multiple users by sharing the available system resources (e.g., time, frequency, and power). Examples of such multiple-access systems include code-division multiple access (CDMA) systems, time-division multiple access (TDMA) systems, frequency-division multiple access (FDMA) systems, and orthogonal frequency-division multiple access (OFDMA) systems.
By way of example, a wireless multiple-access communication system may include a number of base stations, each simultaneously supporting communication for multiple communication devices, otherwise known as user equipment (UE). A base station may communicate with UEs on downlink channels (e.g., for transmissions from a base station to a UE) and uplink channels (e.g., for transmissions from a UE to a base station).
Some UEs may provide for automated communication. Automated UEs may include those implementing Machine-to-Machine (M2M) communication or Machine Type Communication (MTC). M2M or MTC may refer to data communication technologies that allow devices to communicate with one another or a base station without human intervention. M2M or MTC devices may include UEs and may be used as part of an Internet of Things (IoT). Some M2M or MTC devices in an IoT may include parking meters, water and gas meters, and other sensors that may infrequently communicate small amounts of data.
Therefore, communication requirements of an M2M or MTC device in an IoT network may be significantly lower than those typically required by a non-IoT device (e.g., cell phone). For instance, a non-IoT device (e.g., a cell phone) that may be constantly in motion may require high data rates to support low latency in its voice and data communications. Consequently, when existing cellular systems and protocols are used for IoT devices, the IoT devices may be subject to communication requirements and overhead that are unnecessary and even undesirable, resulting in excessive power drain of the IoT devices.